Extruded sections of thermoplastic polyvinyl chloride siding, commonly referred to as vinyl siding, with face sections of about one millimeter thickness, are commonly used as an imitation and substitute for wooden lap siding. Recent governmental action has made it a requirement that, in certain areas subject to hurricane velocity winds, building materials must be capable of withstanding the forces that can be expected in hurricanes. Accordingly, if vinyl siding is desired in these areas, it must be applied in a manner which has been tested and proven capable of maintaining the siding in place under conditions comparable to those which exist during a hurricane. For example, a governmental requirement that has been enacted, applicable in certain seacoast areas, requires siding to withstand the negative pressures produced by a 140 mph wind. Provision of a novel structure resulting in vinyl siding withstanding a 140 mph wind would definitely be advantageous.
It has long been known that vinyl siding must be nailed to a substrate with nail applied through an elongate slot, and not tight against the vinyl siding, so that the vinyl siding is able to move relative to the nail when expansion and contraction occurs due to temperature changes.
In a more recent form of vinyl siding, referred to as post formed vinyl siding, ribs are no longer provided along each side of the nailing slots, as with prior extruded vinyl siding, to assist the applicator in gauging the depth to which a nail head was to be driven. Provision of a new means for gauging the nail head depth would be advantageous.